1981–82 Western Football League
# 1981–82 Western Football League

The 1981–82 season was the 80th in the history of the Western Football League.

The league champions for the fourth time in their history were Bideford. The champions of Division One were Shepton Mallet Town.

## Premier Division

The Premier Division remained at twenty clubs after Paulton Rovers and Tiverton Town were relegated to the First Division, and two clubs joined:

* Chippenham Town, champions of the First Division.
* Wellington, runners-up in the First Division.

### League table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Relegation |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | Bideford (C) | 38 | 26 | 10 | 2 | 88 | 20 | +68 | 62 | |
| 2 | Barnstaple Town | 38 | 26 | 8 | 4 | 78 | 31 | +47 | 59 | |
| 3 | Bridgwater Town | 38 | 16 | 16 | 6 | 70 | 46 | +24 | 48 | Joined the Southern League |
| 4 | Clandown | 38 | 17 | 12 | 9 | 49 | 37 | +12 | 46 | |
| 5 | Melksham Town | 38 | 17 | 11 | 10 | 58 | 50 | +8 | 45 | |
| 6 | Frome Town | 38 | 16 | 9 | 13 | 67 | 58 | +9 | 41 | |
| 7 | Weston-super-Mare | 38 | 15 | 11 | 12 | 47 | 42 | +5 | 41 | |
| 8 | Saltash United | 38 | 15 | 7 | 16 | 47 | 53 | −6 | 37 | |
| 9 | Devizes Town | 38 | 14 | 7 | 17 | 53 | 60 | −7 | 35 | |
| 10 | Dawlish Town | 38 | 11 | 13 | 14 | 45 | 53 | −8 | 35 | |
| 11 | Liskeard Athletic | 38 | 11 | 12 | 15 | 39 | 48 | −9 | 34 | |
| 12 | Bridport | 38 | 12 | 10 | 16 | 43 | 54 | −11 | 34 | |
| 13 | Clevedon Town | 38 | 11 | 12 | 15 | 58 | 60 | −2 | 33 | |
| 14 | Chippenham Town | 38 | 12 | 9 | 17 | 33 | 39 | −6 | 33 | |
| 15 | Falmouth Town | 38 | 12 | 9 | 17 | 46 | 55 | −9 | 33 | |
| 16 | Portway Bristol | 38 | 9 | 13 | 16 | 40 | 47 | −7 | 31 | |
| 17 | Wellington | 38 | 10 | 11 | 17 | 50 | 62 | −12 | 31 | |
| 18 | Keynsham Town | 38 | 9 | 13 | 16 | 39 | 55 | −16 | 31 | |
| 19 | Mangotsfield United (R) | 38 | 11 | 6 | 21 | 30 | 59 | −29 | 28 | Relegated to Division One |
| 20 | Welton Rovers (R) | 38 | 7 | 7 | 24 | 37 | 88 | −51 | 21 | Relegated to Division One |

* 1 2 Barnstaple Town and Clevedon Town each had one point deducted for fielding ineligible players.

## First Division

The First Division remained at nineteen clubs after Brixham United left the league, and Chippenham Town and Wellington were promoted to the Premier Division. Three new clubs joined:

* Paulton Rovers, relegated from the Premier Division.
* Tiverton Town, relegated from the Premier Division.
* Wimborne Town, from the Dorset County League.

### League table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion or relegation |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | Shepton Mallet Town (C, P) | 36 | 25 | 8 | 3 | 88 | 30 | +58 | 58 | Promoted to the Premier Division |
| 2 | Exmouth Town (P) | 36 | 24 | 8 | 4 | 74 | 31 | +43 | 56 | Promoted to the Premier Division |
| 3 | Swanage Town & Herston | 36 | 21 | 5 | 10 | 90 | 47 | +43 | 47 | |
| 4 | Wimborne Town | 36 | 19 | 9 | 8 | 67 | 35 | +32 | 47 | |
| 5 | Bath City Reserves | 36 | 19 | 6 | 11 | 72 | 46 | +26 | 44 | |
| 6 | Elmore | 36 | 19 | 6 | 11 | 58 | 45 | +13 | 44 | |
| 7 | Paulton Rovers | 36 | 17 | 6 | 13 | 54 | 48 | +6 | 40 | |
| 8 | Bristol Manor Farm | 36 | 15 | 9 | 12 | 58 | 50 | +8 | 39 | |
| 9 | Torquay United Reserves | 36 | 15 | 9 | 12 | 50 | 44 | +6 | 39 | Left at the end of the season |
| 10 | Tiverton Town | 36 | 13 | 8 | 15 | 62 | 63 | −1 | 34 | |
| 11 | Chard Town | 36 | 12 | 10 | 14 | 43 | 55 | −12 | 34 | |
| 12 | Odd Down | 36 | 14 | 5 | 17 | 51 | 57 | −6 | 33 | |
| 13 | Radstock Town | 36 | 10 | 11 | 15 | 44 | 67 | −23 | 31 | |
| 14 | Glastonbury | 36 | 12 | 6 | 18 | 63 | 69 | −6 | 30 | |
| 15 | Heavitree United | 36 | 11 | 7 | 18 | 39 | 69 | −30 | 29 | |
| 16 | Yeovil Town Reserves | 36 | 10 | 8 | 18 | 40 | 53 | −13 | 28 | |
| 17 | Larkhall Athletic | 36 | 10 | 5 | 21 | 42 | 85 | −43 | 25 | |
| 18 | Ottery St Mary | 36 | 6 | 3 | 27 | 28 | 79 | −51 | 15 | |
| 19 | Ilminster Town | 36 | 3 | 5 | 28 | 20 | 70 | −50 | 11 | Left at the end of the season |
